Navigating the Depths: Unveiling the Top 15 Most Dangerous Oceanic Predators

 Navigating the Depths: Unveiling the Top 15 Most Dangerous Oceanic Predators

 

The ocean is a pretty dangerous place, be it the massive waves, strong currents, or freezing waters. Oceans really do have the potential to dispose of you in an instant. Today, we're venturing into the murky waters. Here are the top 15 most dangerous types of fish ever found.

 

Number 15: Needle Fish

Measuring in at just one meter long and weighing just four kilograms, needle fish are a lot more dangerous than they look. That's because these fish not only have a long, sharp, and bony beak but also have a tendency to leap out of the water at speeds of up to 60 kilometers per hour.

 

Unfortunately, this has made them a true terror in their Indian and Pacific Ocean habitats. They're attracted to lights from boats and will often leap out, impaling unsuspecting sailors. As a result, they are widely considered to be even more dangerous than sharks to fishermen who work in needlefish-infested areas.

 

Number 14: Stingray

As the name suggests, stingrays stand out due to them having a stinger near the base of their tail. While they are usually docile, they don't hesitate to use said stinger when they're threatened. Typically, this only occurs with humans if one has accidentally stepped on them, as they tend to burrow under the sand as camouflage to ambush prey.

 

Unfortunately, these stings are usually extremely painful and often cause secondary symptoms such as local tissue death, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, and muscle cramps. Yet, while smaller stingrays likely will not kill you, larger species can pose a very real threat. Most notably, famed ecologist Steve Irwin learned this the hard way in 2006 when he unfortunately passed away after coming into contact with a two-meter-long bull stingray.

 

As a result, we'd recommend swimming in the other direction if you see one on your next tropical vacation.

 

Number 13: Giant Moray Eel

Although there are over 200 different species of moray eel, the giant moray eel is certainly the most troublesome, found throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans. They can reach up to three meters in length and weigh as much as 30 kilograms.

 

While they're not all that aggressive due to them spending most of their time in burrows, they can do some serious damage when divers attempt to feed them, as they will sometimes lunge forward and bite off the fingers of said divers. As a result, we'd recommend staying far, far away from them on your next scuba diving adventure.

 

Number 12: Barracuda

Found in the oceans worldwide, the barracuda is an apex predator that has the potential to dish some serious damage. Reaching lengths of up to 2 meters and weights of up to 50 kilograms, the barracuda is absolutely massive and sports a set of sharp teeth to chomp down on its prey. Generally speaking, barracudas are harmless to us humans as they typically only attack other fish.

 

However, in murky waters, they have been known to bite the arms and legs of humans after mistaking them for the underbelly of a fish. They've also been known to chomp down on shiny objects such as belt buckles, necklaces, and earrings. As a result, these beastly barracudas can be quite bothersome.

 

Number 11: Angler Fish

When it comes to deep-sea creatures, few are as frightening as the angler fish. Although only about the size of a coffee cup, they have a pretty frightening appearance, with the 200 different species of them each featuring a prominent lure that hangs off their front end. They use this lure to attract prey.

 

Once said prey is close enough, it will clamp down onto it with its impressive set of teeth. However, while angler fish are extremely dangerous to fish, they live too far below the sea for them to ever come into contact with humans. Regardless, we think you'd agree that this is probably for the best.

 

Number 10: Box Jellyfish

While getting a sting from most species of jellyfish would be painful, the box jellyfish definitely takes it up a notch. These feisty fish, found throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans, administer one of the most toxic stings in the world.

 

Box jellyfish are pretty massive, coming in at about 10 feet long. Their tentacles have about 5,000 stinging cells each, and each is equipped with a toxin that attacks the heart, nervous system, and skin cells. Unfortunately, said toxin is so painful that human victims have been known to either go into shock and drown or die of heart failure moments after coming into contact with one.

 

Yet, even if you do survive, you can expect to experience considerable pain for weeks. There's often significant scarring where the tentacles make contact with your skin. As a result, we'd suggest swimming in the other direction if you see one of these in the water during your next beach vacation.

 

Number 9: Killer Whales

A mainstay at parks such as SeaWorld and MarineLand, killer whales are certainly one of the most impressive fish on the planet. Typically coming in at a length of about six to eight meters and a weight in excess of six tons, they truly are massive.

 

It turns out that they are not, in fact, whales but instead the largest member of the dolphin family. Regardless, they are strong hunters, typically attacking in packs and going after seals, cod, and at times even mink whales. Unfortunately, they have a tendency to attack humans. However, in the wild, these assaults are very rare.

 

Instead, it's when killer whales are put into captivity that they become deadly, as they will sometimes lash out against their trainers out of frustration, stress, or loneliness, often leading to serious injuries and at times even death. As a result, these attacks certainly have given killer whale shows a bad rap in recent years.

 

Number 8: The Reef Stonefish

While it may just look like a rock or a lump of coral, the reef stonefish is one of the most toxic fish in the world. Found in coral reefs throughout the Indian and Pacific Oceans, it's a master of disguise, hiding on the sea floor to camouflage with its surroundings.

 

While on the sea floor, it hunts quickly, swimming and catching unsuspecting prey at rapid speeds. Speeds that are so rapid, in fact, that a reef stonefish attack often lasts as little as 0.015 seconds. However, while these fish are usually not a danger to humans, they very well can be if threatened. That's because they have 13 dorsal fins on their spine that contain a highly toxic venom.

 

This venom can lead to severe pain, heart failure, and even death if left untreated. Luckily, since 1959, there has been an antivenom that can treat stonefish stings. It's also said that putting a wounded area in hot water can help soothe the pain.

 

Yet, given that they only sting if stepped on or otherwise touched in any way, it's pretty easy to steer clear of them while snorkeling or scuba diving, so long as you keep your hands off the reef.

 

Number 7: Goliath Tiger Fish

While most of the fish on this list only attack humans if provoked, the Goliath tiger fish stands apart for having actively attacked humans on a number of occasions. Found throughout the Congo River Basin, the Goliath tiger fish is rather large, growing to lengths of about one and a half meters and weights of up to about 50 kilograms.

 

It hunts by ambushing small fish, speeding up to them and clamping down on them with a large set of teeth, with each tooth typically growing as much as one inch long. As a result, it shouldn't come as a surprise that the local name for the species is the mumbenga, which means the dangerous fish in Swahili.

 

Yet, what makes the Goliath tiger fish really dangerous is the fact that it will often attack prey much larger than itself. As such, it has routinely assaulted both crocodiles and humans, and stories abound throughout the Congo River Basin of attacks from this nasty creature.

 

As a result, we'd recommend staying far away from this body of water unless you'd like to become its next victim.

 

Number 6: Red-Bellied Piranhas

Throughout the Amazon River, there are packs of predatory fish known as red-bellied piranhas. These carnivores, which grow to lengths of about 50 centimeters and weigh in at about 5 kilograms, are notable because they are not only meat eaters but also have extremely sharp sets of teeth.

 

Typically, they use said teeth to chase down small prey such as worms, crustaceans, and fish, and in fact, will often scavenge for plants and insects in order to meet their dietary needs. However, when food is scarce, piranhas will at times gang together to take down large prey in what is known as a feeding frenzy, usually eating up said large individual within minutes.

 

The victim will typically be an animal such as a capybara or an egret. However, in some cases, the victim will unfortunately be a human, and although such occurrences are extremely rare, they have unfortunately led to some very horrific deaths.

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Number 5: Swordfish

As the name suggests, swordfish are definitely one of the sharper fish out there. That's because their sword-shaped bills are extremely honed and durable, typically used to hunt down smaller fish. However, rather than impale their prey with their swords, they typically use them as scythes, slashing through small schools of fish to knock them out and gobble them up.

 

While their fast speeds and ferocious hunting style are no real danger to humans, swordfish can be quite the hazard when they're harpooned. That's because when impaled, they will typically jump or dive in such a way that could damage a boat or injure a human. Unfortunately, a Hawaiian man by the name of Randy Lanes found this out the hard way in 2015 when he became the first recorded person to be killed by one of these creatures.

 

You see, he had shot one with his harpoon when, by instinct, the swordfish jumped up and, in the process, punctured Lanes in the chest, leading to him later passing away in the hospital. This just goes to show how dangerous swordfish truly are. It turns out that swordfish are much more dangerous when they're out of the water than when they're inside of it. This is because their meat contains very high levels of mercury.

 

This is of special concern to pregnant women. Turns out that long-term swordfish consumption can cause mercury to accumulate in your bloodstream over time. That, if too much mercury is in a pregnant woman's bloodstream, it could damage a baby's developing brain and nervous system.

 

As a result, we suggest you stay far away from this mercury-high fish dish if you're expecting a child anytime soon.

 

Number 4: Puffer Fish

While puffer fish may not be the largest or fastest fish out there, their ability to puff up and poison their predators makes them extremely dangerous. The puffer fish typically only inflate when they feel threatened, as their puffed-up persona makes them look like a giant ball of spikes, which isn't exactly appetizing for a would-be predator.

 

Additionally, their spikes contain a neurotoxin known as tetrodotoxin, which can cause paralysis, seizures, and even death in humans. To make matters worse, the neurotoxin is not only up to 1,200 times more poisonous than cyanide, but it's also so abundant in the puffer fish that just one has the ability to kill up to 30 adult humans. When you then further consider that there is no antidote for a puffer fish's neurotoxins, it becomes clear that they should probably be avoided.

 

Interestingly, however, there is a Japanese delicacy known as fugu that turns the puffer fish into a delectable dish. Having been eaten by the Japanese for over 2,000 years, fugu is a mainstay in Japanese culture. However, in recent years, it has been heavily regulated by the state. Ever since 1958, chefs had to obtain a license in order to prepare fugu.

 

This involves first completing a two-year apprenticeship under a certified fugu chef and then undertaking an examination. The first two hours of said examination is written, but afterwards, there's a three-minute fugu identification component and a 20-minute fugu preparation component. However, considering that only about 35 of the applicants pass the license, it certainly isn't easy to obtain.

 

Regardless, even though these chefs are highly trained, you would undoubtedly be taking a pretty big risk if you chose to consume a puffer fish.

 

Number 3: Lionfish

While the vibrant patterns, bright colors, and interesting shape of a lionfish may make them one of the most beautiful fish on this list, this certainly does not make them any less dangerous. Hailing from the South Pacific and Indian Oceans, there are 12 species of lionfish out there, all of which feast on shrimp and smaller fish.

 

However, when threatened, they'll make use of the poisonous spikes that they have across their back, pelvis, and underside. Being filled with toxin, being stung with said spikes can cause intense pain and sweating, and in extreme cases, respiratory distress and paralysis in humans. Luckily, there is a rather simple cure for lionfish stings, as one must simply remove the spines and soak the wound in hot water to help break down the toxins.

 

If this treatment is performed, then the pain from the sting typically subsides after one or two days; however, if it's not treated in time, then it's far less effective. Yet, what makes lionfish even more worrisome is that they're an invasive species, appearing in densities of over 350 fish per hectare on some reefs. They have spread across the eastern seaboard and the Mediterranean.

 

This is problematic because they not only have no predators outside the Indo-Pacific, but they also have a voracious appetite. Most notably, they decimated about 65 to 95 percent of the endemic small reef fish in the Bahamas in just a 30-year time frame.

 

As a result, we can expect issues regarding these feisty fish to continue to skyrocket if their overpopulation is not addressed soon.

 

Number two, candiru, found in the depths of the Amazon.

 The candiru is a fish that is very small but incredibly mighty, measuring in at about 17 centimeters in length. Being clear in color, it's very hard to spot and is widely known as a vampire fish due to its tendency to swim into the gills of smaller fish and live off them like a parasite.

 

However, while the reports on the subject are shaky, there's quite a bit of anecdotal evidence to suggest that candirus have another target: humans. In particular, reports specify that candirus have a tendency to swim into human private parts, with urethras being the most common place of attack. It is said that once there, they will latch onto its walls with barbs, with said spikes only driving deeper into them if you try to pull one out.

 

As a result, while some suggested remedies do exist, many historical accounts suggest just cutting the offending member off in order to relieve yourself of the pain. Luckily, however, the actual empirical evidence attesting to candiru attacks remains limited.

 

In fact, many scientists today believe that these were just sensationalized stories and that if a candiru were to swim up your private parts, it would be completely by accident, as they would not survive for long after having done so. Regardless, we'd still suggest staying far away from the Amazon's murky waters just in case. After all, you never know if a cruel candida will make you their next target.

 

Number one, great white sharks.

Although great white sharks are not quite as dangerous as movies like Jaws and Sharknado make them out to be, they definitely still are one of the most dangerous animals out there. Measuring as long as six meters and typically weighing in at more than two and a half tons, it's pretty clear that the great white is massive.

 

Unsurprisingly, it, therefore, uses its sheer power and 300 serrated teeth to its advantage, attacking prey such as sea lions, seals, small-tooth whales, and sea turtles. Yet, it turns out that at times, humans also make their way onto the menu.

 

And while sharks don't actually like the taste of humans, they often mistake them for seals. However, after they take one bite and realize their mistake, they generally swim away. Unfortunately, this really is rather weak assurance, as even one bite is enough to severely maim or even kill a human.

 

Yet, with only about 30 to 35 great white shark attacks occurring per year, the chances of you coming face to face with one are rather low. As a result, if we crunch the numbers, it seems that it really is the sharks who should be scared of us. That's because if we include all types of sharks, humans kill a total of 100 million of them every single year. In other words, between 6.4 and 7.9 percent of their entire population.

 

The primary reason for this shark slaughter is thanks to the demand for shark fin soup in many Asian countries, where it's a delicacy that's so expensive that just one bowl of it can cost upwards of 100 bucks. As a result, conservation efforts are being made around the world to ensure that these sharks remain in our oceans and stay off our dinner plates.

 

That's all we have for you today. Let us know in the comments down below which fish you thought was the most dangerous. And if you enjoyed this article, don't forget to like, follow, so that you don't miss out on any of our latest content.